Jesus Enters Jerusalem, and the People Celebrate

Jesus Enters Jerusalem, and the People Celebrate Lesson 4

Bible Point We can praise and

honor Jesus.
Bible Verse
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6).

Growing Closer to Jesus

Students will n discover the difference between being ignored and being praised,
n experience the triumphal entry,
n share actions of honor,
n plan ways to praise and honor Jesus, and
n praise Jesus.

Teacher Enrichment
Bible Basis
n Jesus enters Jerusalem, and the people celebrate.
Mark This moment in Jewish history had long been anticipated. Zechariah 9:9 predicted
that the Messiah would come humble, riding on a donkeyeven on a donkeys colt.
11:1-11 Without question, the Jews along Jesus path made this connection and knew what it
meant. Their celebration made this clear as they covered Jesus path with their outer
robes and palm branchesa demonstration of honor and submission.
By riding a donkey, Jesus not only fulfilled Zechariah 9:9, he also indicated that he
came in peace. In Jewish culture a donkey was no less valued or respected than a horse, but to enter Jerusalem
on a horse would have indicated warlike intentions. Riding a donkey, Jesus represented a king who came to
bring peace.
The cries of the people were also significant. As they shouted hosanna, they were saying, Lord, save
us! As they referred to Jesus as he who comes in the name of the Lord and spoke plainly of the coming
kingdom of our father David, they were making clear references to the Messiah predicted many times in the
Old Testament.
Fortunately, we know the rest of the story. After the Resurrection, everything changed. And thats how it
should be in our lives. When we choose to live for Jesus, everything changes. Today, we dont honor Jesus just
by cheering and praying and singing great worship songs. We can honor himas the disciples didin every
facet of our lives. We can honor him through our worship but also through our obedience, service, witness,
and gratitude.
Other Scriptures used in this lesson are Luke 19:37-40 and Psalm 66:1-4.

Prayer
Read Philippians 2:10-11.
How do you praise and glorify Jesus in your daily life?
Pray: Lord, help me to praise you in all I do, especially when

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 45

 Lesson 4

Before the Lesson

n Collect the necessary items for the activities you plan to use, referring to the Classroom Supplies and Learning Lab
Supplies listed on the chart.
n Make photocopies of the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at the end of this lesson) to send home with your
students.
n Pray for your students and for Gods direction as you teach the lesson.

This Lesson at a Glance

What Students Will Do Classroom Supplies Learning Lab Supplies
Attention Shouts of PraiseExperience
Grabber the difference between no praise
and praise while playing a game.

Bible Lights, Camera, Action!Act Lights, Camera, Action! (p. 52);

Exploration & out the story of Jesus triumphal jackets, blankets, or paint shirts;
leafy branches
Application entry into Jerusalem as told in
Mark 11:1-11.

Cheering StonesWitness Bibles, 3 raisins, 1 Alka-Seltzer

an experiment about the stones tablet, warm water, clear cup
praising Jesus, and discuss Luke
19:37-40.

Actions of HonorAct out Bibles

ways they can praise and honor
Jesus.

Lets Praise and Honor CD player

JesusBrainstorm ways to
praise and honor Jesus in their
own lives.

Closing Shout With Joy!Shout Bible

praises to Jesus, using Psalm
66:1-4 as the basis.

Welcome
As kids arrive, ask them about ways they put last weeks lesson into action.
Ask questions such as How did you train to be Gods servant? and What
acts of service did you do?
Tell kids that whenever you sound the hand groan tube, they are to stop
talking, raise their hands, and focus on you. Explain that its important to
respond to this signal quickly so the class can do as many fun activities as
possible.

46 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Jesus Enters Jerusalem, and the People Celebrate

Attention Grabber
n Shouts of Praise
SUPPLIES: none
Have kids form teams of three to five members and line up on one side
of the room for a relay.
Say: For this game, the first person in each line will run across
the room, touch the other wall, run back, tag the next person in
line, and sit down. The next person in line will do the same thing.
As soon as each person on your team has touched the other wall
once and returned and is sitting down, Ill know your team is
done.
Theres only one catch: you have to be completely silent! Not
one sound at all!
Use the hand groan tube signal to begin the game. It doesnt matter which team
finishes first because the real point of the game is to be completely quiet.
When all the teams have finished, say: Now lets play again, but this time I
want to hear you cheering for your teammates as loudly as you can!
Use the hand groan tube signal to begin the game again. Cheer loudly for the kids,
and encourage kids to do the same as their teammates run. When all the children have
completed the game, have them return to their seats, and ask:
Which race was more funthe silent one or the loud one? Why? (The loud
one because it was more exciting; I like to hear people cheer for me; I like to yell.)
How do you feel when other people cheer you on? (Good; like I can do
anything; it makes me go faster; it makes me do my best.)
When do you like to hear people loudly cheering for you or praising
you? (When Im playing sports or performing music or drama; whenever I do
something well or try my best; when Im feeling like a failure; anytime.)
How do you think Jesus feels when we praise him? (Good; happy; glad.)
Say: Just as we enjoy hearing people praise us and cheer for us, Jesus
loves to hear our praises as well. Today well learn more about ways we
can praise and honor Jesus.

Bible Exploration & Application

n Lights, Camera, Action!
SUPPLIES: Lights, Camera, Action! handout (p. 52)
OPTIONAL SUPPLIES: jackets, blankets, or paint shirts; leafy branches
Before class, make one copy of the Lights,
Camera, Action! handout for each student. Take
the glitter tie, bendable noodle, maracas, bongo stick,
and braided hair from the Learning Lab. Also
collect some jackets, blankets, or paint shirts, and
some leafy branches.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 47

 Lesson 4
Use a highlighter to mark each
students lines on his or her handout
to help kids follow their lines more
easily.
If you have fewer than nine
students in your class, have some
students play more than one
roleand be sure to take a role or
two for yourself!
To provide cloaks for the crowd
to spread before Jesus, gather a
few jackets from the lost and found,
or use paint shirts from the supply
closet. You could also use blankets
or towels. And if you have palm
branches, by all means use them!
48 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4
Say: Lights! Camera! Action! Today youll be the actors in our Bible story.
The Roman government was unfair to the Jewish people in Jesus day. The
Jewish people were looking for a king who would stand up to the Romans.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the Jews were excited because they
believed that Jesus had come to save them from the Romans.
Give each child a handout, and assign parts for the drama. Be sure everyone has a
role and the needed props. Help the children find their lines. Then have children take
their places and act out the story.
After the play, collect the Learning Lab items and the jackets and branches. Have
the children return to their seats, and ask:
If you were part of the crowd, how would you have felt that day?
(Happy; excited; joyful.)
Why were people praising and honoring Jesus? (They thought he was a
great king; they thought he would free them from Roman rule.)
Why do we praise and honor Jesus today? (Because Jesus is Gods Son;
because Jesus died to forgive our sins.)
Say: Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem must have been exciting.
Even though we werent there for that celebration, we can praise and
honor Jesus, too.
Ask: How do we praise and honor Jesus? (We go to church and Sunday
school; we sing songs; we clap; we pray.)
How do we praise and honor Jesus away from church? (We obey our
parents; were nice to our brothers and sisters; we treat other people kindly.)
Say: The crowd that met Jesus that day praised and honored him because
they thought he was the king that would save them from the Romans. But he
wasnt that kind of king at all. He was an even better kind of king. Instead,
Jesus saved all humanity from sin and death, and thats why we can
praise and honor Jesus today.
n Cheering Stones
SUPPLIES: Bibles, 3 raisins, 1 Alka-Seltzer tablet, warm water, clear cup
Youll need warm water for this activity. Have a Thermos of warm water ready, or
make sure you have access to a sink with warm water. Fill the clear cup three-quarters
full with warm water, and add three raisins.
Ask: Why should we praise and honor Jesus? (Because Jesus loves us; he
forgives us; Jesus is Gods Son; he makes it possible to live with God forever in heaven.)
How do you think Jesus feels when we praise him? (He feels like we love
him; he likes hearing our praise; he feels happy.)
Say: As Jesus made his way into Jerusalem, all his followers praised and
honored him. But there was a group of religious leaders called Pharisees
who didnt like the fact that the people were praising Jesus, so they tried to
stop them.
Ask: Why do you think the Pharisees didnt want Jesus followers to
praise him? (The Pharisees didnt believe in Jesus; they were mad that people were
following Jesus instead of their rules; they were jealous; the people were being loud in
the streets.)
 Jesus Enters Jerusalem, and the People Celebrate

Say: Lets find out what happened.

Invite the children to turn to Luke 19:37-40 in their Bibles. Read the verses aloud,
or ask for a volunteer to do so. Then ask:
What do you think Jesus meant when he said that the stones would
You may want to try this
burst into cheers? (Jesus deserves so much praise that if people dont praise Jesus,
experiment at home first to make
Gods creation will praise him, even the stones; we should always praise Jesus.)
sure the bubbles catch on the
Say: Can you imagine the stones jumping up and shouting praises to raisins well. If they dont, use more
Jesus if everyone else stopped praising him? Imagine rocks jumping around Alka-Seltzer or less water.
singing and shouting. Lets do an experiment right now to get some idea
what that might be like. I have a cup here with some stones in it. Theyre
actually raisins, but lets pretend theyre stones. Were going to praise Jesus
together for 10 seconds and then see what happens when we stop.
Encourage kids to think of some words they can use to sing or shout praise to Jesus. Bible Insight
Offer suggestions, such as saying, Youre amazing, Jesus! or We love you, Jesus! You In New Testament times,
can also lead kids in singing a praise song or a song from the CD. As children offer their conquering heroes were
praises, quickly drop an Alka-Seltzer tablet into the clear cup. As the effervescing slows, often given a triumphal
have kids stop shouting and singing. Draw their attention to the cup, and say: entry when they returned
Now that weve stopped singing our praises, lets watch the stones. home. This crowd probably
hoped Jesus would be an
Allow kids to watch as the raisins start bobbing up and down. After about 15 or 20
earthly ruler and deliver
seconds, the raisins will stop bobbing. As soon as the raisins have stopped, ask:
them from oppressive
How was that like stones bursting out in cheers? (The raisins looked like Roman rule.
they were jumping up and down; when we stopped praising Jesus, the raisins started.)
Why would stones praise Jesus? (Because Jesus is so great that he deserves
praise all the time; if people stop praising Jesus, the creationeven the rockswill
praise him instead.)
Say: When we stopped praising Jesus, the rocks started to praise him.
Thats how much Jesus deserves our praise! Its important to praise and
honor Jesus. Jesus loves to hear our praises. Lets explore more ways that
we can praise and honor Jesus.

n Actions of Honor
SUPPLIES: Bibles
Have children form groups of four. Give each group a Bible,
and have one child in each group read Psalm 150:6 aloud:
Let everything that breathes sing praises to the
Lord! Praise the Lord!
Say: This verse says that every living thing should
give praise and honor to God. When we honor someone,
we show that person special treatment or respect. In your group, think of
one creature and how it might praise or honor God.
After several minutes let children share their answers. Answers will vary and may
include dogs barking to God, birds singing praise, and fish splashing. Then say: Now
lets think about people. In your group, think of one action kids your age
can do that would show honor to God. Youll need to be able to act out your
action so others can guess what it is. And Ill give each group a funny prop
to use in its demonstration.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 49

 Lesson 4

Provide each group with one of the items from the Learning Lab, and ask children
to incorporate the prop in their answer. Give them several minutes to think of an
action they can do that shows honor to God. Encourage them to think about school,
home, and play. Then have each group act out its action while the others guess what
the action is. For example, they might use the basket to serve someone a meal or a bendy
pencil to write a song or a prayer. When each group has had a turn, gather the Learning
Lab items, have children return to their seats, and ask:
Which of these actions you saw was your favorite? Why? (Answers will
vary.)
Which of these actions could you do this week? (I could invite others to join
a game; I could be nice to my family; I could sing a song.)
What is one way to honor God that you will try your best to do this
week? (Pray; read the Bible; help others.)
Say: In our Bible story, people showed honor and praise to Jesus by
cheering for him, by waving palm branches, and by spreading their coats
for him to walk on. We can praise and honor Jesus with our actions and
with our words, too.

HANDS-ON BIBLE
Give each student a pencil or pen. Make sure kids have their
Hands-On Bibles.
Say: We can praise and honor Jesus. Open your
Hands-On Bible, and turn to the Parade of Praise activity
found near Matthew 21. Students will make plans to celebrate Jesus in the
coming week. After kids write their plans, ask them to share with a partner what
they wrote.
We can praise and honor Jesus in lots of different ways. Encourage
everyone to follow up during the week on the plans theyve made.

n Lets Praise and Honor Jesus!

SUPPLIES: CD player
To be able to reuse the Tube-a- Before class, inflate the Tube-a-loon, and cue the CD player to
track 11
loon, tie one end and use a rubber Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6) (track 11). Lyrics are at the end
band to close the other end. Then, of this guide.
when youve finished using the
Tube-a-loon, simply remove the
rubber band to deflate it. Carefully
fold up the flattened Tube-a-loon
for later use.

50 Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4

 Jesus Enters Jerusalem, and the People Celebrate

Gather the kids in a circle, and lead them in singing the

song. After the song is done, have them take turns tossing the
inflated Tube-a-loon to each other. As each person catches it,
have that person say one reason why we can praise and honor
Jesus. (For example, kids might say, Because Jesus loves us;
Jesus forgives us; Jesus died for us; or Jesus is Gods Son.)
Lead kids in singing Praise the Lord (Psalm 150:6) a
second time. Then have kids toss the Tube-a-loon to one
another again, but this time have the person who catches it give one example
of how we can praise and honor Jesus. Kids might say they could sing, pray,
help others, be nice to others, or tell others about Jesus.
Say: We can praise and honor Jesus. Jesus deserves our praise
and honor because he is Gods Son. Jesus died on the cross to save
us from our sins. There are so many ways that we can praise and
honor Jesus every day. Lets practice right now!

Closing
n Shout With Joy!
SUPPLIES: Bible
With kids still standing in a circle, have them link elbows.
Ask: When you see an amazing fireworks show or a terrific movie, hear
your favorite song, or witness an incredible sporting event, what do you do?
(Ooh and aah; scream; cheer; tell others about it.)
Say: When we witness something really amazing, we cheer and tell others
about it. We can do these same things as we praise and honor Jesus. Im
going to read verses from the Bible as part of our prayer.
Open your Bible, and show students Psalm 66:1-4. Read the verses aloud with great
enthusiasm, pausing after each line. Each time you pause, have children shout out brief
praises to Jesus, such as Youre awesome! or Gods the greatest! When you finish
reading all four verses, have all the kids shout together, Amen!
As you dismiss the kids, remind them to follow through on their commitments to
praise and honor God throughout the week.

Growing closer to Jesus extends

beyond the classroom.
Photocopy the Hands-On Fun at Home handout (at
the end of this lesson) for this week, and send it home
with your kids. Encourage kids and parents to use the
handout to spark meaningful discussion on this weeks
topic.

Hands-On Bible CurriculumGrades 3 & 4 51

 Lights, Camera, Action!
The Parts:
Narrator (Wears the glitter tie and stands on the left side of the stage area.)
Jesus (Wears the bendable noodle slung over one shoulder and across the body as a sash, and begins on the
right side of the stage area.)
Two Disciples (Stand beside Jesus.)
Donkey (Wears the braided hair as a tail and waits on hands and knees beside the Narrator.)
Some People (Two or more actors who stand near the donkey.)
Crowd (Two or more actors who sit in the audience until time for their part. They have jackets or leafy
branches to lay down and the bongo stick and maracas for celebration noise.)

The Script:
Narrator: As Jesus and his disciples approached Jerusalem, they came to the towns of Bethphage and
Bethany, on the Mount of Olives. Jesus sent two of them on ahead. He said to them:
Jesus: (To the Two Disciples) Go into that village over there, and as soon as you enter it, you will see a colt
tied there that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks what you are doing,
just say, The Lord needs it and will return it soon.
Narrator: The two disciples left and found the colt standing in the street, tied outside a house.
(The Two Disciples walk over to the donkey.)

Narrator: As they were untying it, some bystanders demanded,

Some People: What are you doing, untying that colt?
Two Disciples: The Lord needs it and will return it soon.
Some People: Oh! Then take it!
(The Two Disciples bring the donkey to Jesus.)

Narrator: Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their garments over it, and he sat on it.
(Jesus pretends to ride on the donkey.)

Narrator: Many in the crowd spread their coats on the road ahead of Jesus, and others cut leafy branches in
the fields and spread them along the way.
(Crowd spreads jackets or branches on the ground in front of Jesus and the donkey.)
(Jesus pretends to ride the donkey across the stage.)

Narrator: Jesus was in the center of the procession, and the crowds all around him were shouting,
Crowd: Praise God! Bless the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Bless the coming kingdom of our
ancestor David! Praise God in the highest heaven!

Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
52 Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com
 LESSON 4

We can praise and honor Jesus.

Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord!

Praise the Lord! (Psalm 150:6).

There are so many ways that we can praise

and honor Jesus.
What are some ways that your family can praise Jesus together?
__________________________________________________________ Read Matthew 21:1-11; Mark
What are some ways that your family can honor Jesus? 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-44; John
__________________________________________________________ 12:12-19.
Choose your favorites, and get started today! Each of the Gospel writers
recorded Jesus triumphal
entry. Why do you think they
Mark 11:1-11 gives an accou
nt of Jesus noisy thought this event was so
and triumphant entry into
Jerusalem. Read important?
this passage, and as a family
make a pizza to
retell and illustrate the sto
Roll out thawed bread doug ry. Read Revelation 5.
h onto a lightly greased piz
the dough with pizza sauce. za pan, and cover
Sprinkle with a layer of mo Wow! What an amazing scene
Then let family members re- zza rella cheese.
create the path Jesus and the at the end of time. What can
Use sliced olives for the Mo do nkey traveled.
unt of Olives, broccoli or gre
the branches, and peppero en pepper slices for you do today to praise and
ni slices for the cloaks. Bake
15 minutes or until the doug at 40 0 degrees for honor Jesus?
h is browned and the chee
se is bubbly.

Tack a piece of cardboard to your wall. Then

attach a pen to a string, and thumbtack the string
to the cardboard. Stick a small stack of sticky notes to the
board. Whenever you get a great idea about how you could
honor Jesus with things you could say or things you could do, write your idea
on a sticky note and stick it to your Bored Board. Ideas might include:
Call Grandma and cheer her up; help Mom set the table; tell Dad I
appreciate him. Next time you have nothing to do, honor
Jesus by doing one of your sticky-note ideas.

Permission to photocopy this handout from Groups Hands-On Bible Curriculum Grades 3 & 4 granted for local church use.
Copyright Group Publishing, Inc., 1515 Cascade Avenue, Loveland, CO 80538. group.com 53